Travel wishlist *updated for 2015*

I’m not sure exactly when Japan started seeping into my consciousness, but suddenly it’s there. I’m trying to branch out a bit more from just travelling in South America (much as I love it). Japan intrigues me and is definitely somewhere I hope to visit; mountains, megacities and cherry blossom all sound right up my street. I wish the flights weren’t so expensive though!

Oman is an unusual one, but I enjoyed our stopover in Muscat earlier this month and would love to see more of the country, especially to try wadi-bashing which looks like a blast. Winter is probably the best time to travel, as the temperature is around 25C with low humidity, rather than the 40C + in summer.

One of my long-term travel dreams is to follow the Silk Route, from Kashgar in North-West China through the mountains of the ‘Stans and into Central Asia. I followed the journey of Nellie Huang from Wild Junket online earlier this year, and it only added to my desire to make this trip one day. I think it’s one that needs some time though, so it’s on the back burner for now (I’m also a little worried that as a veggie I’d be stuck eating plain rice for weeks on end).

Closer to home, I’d like to see some of the Balkans as I’ve never been – with cheap flight connections this might be on the cards for 2015.

But above all these places, despite what I said above, what I’m really craving is a trip back to Brazil. There is so much of this amazing country still to see, the people are really friendly and just the thought of it puts a smile on my face.